St Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), also known as the Little Flower, is one of the most beloved saints. She died at twenty-four after only nine years as a Carmelite nun, yet her spiritual wisdom earned her the title Doctor of the Church.
The heart of her spirituality is the Little Way—a path to holiness accessible to everyone. She wrote: “I am too small to climb the rough stairway of perfection. So I have looked for a little way...totally new.” It consists of doing ordinary things with extraordinary love.
Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, is a spiritual classic. She wrote: “It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to love.” She realized her vocation was love: “Love comprised all vocations.”
Therese promised: “I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.” Countless miracles have been attributed to her intercession.
Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church in 1997. Her feast is October 1. She is patron of missionaries, florists, and the sick.
St Therese offers radical trust in God’s mercy. We don’t need extraordinary deeds—just to do ordinary duties with extraordinary love, accept our limitations, and trust in God like a child.
Deepen your trust in God’s mercy through Daily Mass and small acts of love.
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